In recent years, in a field of pathology, a virtual slide system which enables pathological diagnosis on a display by capturing an image of a test sample (a specimen) placed on a prepared slide and digitalizing the image has received attention instead of optical microscopes which are tools of pathological diagnosis. Since pathological diagnosis images are digitalized using the virtual slide system, images of test samples which have been conventionally obtained by optical microscopes may be used as digital data. As a result, it is expected that speedy remote diagnosis, explanation for patients using digital images, sharing of rare cases, and efficient education and practical training are realized.
In order to realize an operation equivalent to operations of optical microscopes using a virtual slide system, an entire test sample placed on a prepared slide is preferably digitalized. By digitalizing the entire test sample, digital data generated by the virtual slide system may be observed through viewer software which operates in PCs (Personal Computers) and work stations. The number of pixels obtained when the entire test sample is digitalized is from several hundred millions to several billions in general, that is, a considerably large amount of data.
Although the amount of data generated by the virtual slide system is large, various types of observation from observation of a micro image (a detail expansion image) to observation of a macro image (an overview image) may be performed by performing a scaling process using a viewer. Accordingly, improved usability is realized. By obtaining all information to be used in advance, images having resolutions and magnifications desired by a user including an image having a low magnification and an image having a high magnification may be immediately displayed.
As a related art, a medical image display apparatus for supporting diagnoses made by doctors by displaying medical image data in a real size in a display unit (a display screen) in accordance with a pixel pitch of the medical image data and a pixel pitch of the display unit of an image display apparatus has been proposed.